Charlie Lang (830)
(Liberators-830N) * (alumnus) *Lang Family|occupation_or_professional_title = Agent|current_status = Active|image1 = LANGWIKI.png|citizenship = |First_appearance = Story: The Golden Gate Years|predecessor = Adam Creel|title1 = Charlie Lang|aliases = *Sugarpop (by Trisha Lang) *Boss (by Conwell North) *Bossman (by Camden Kolt) *Firefox (by Tyler Cheng)}} Charlie Lang is a red panda Anthro-feralis Coalition agent who serves as the commanding officer of the field division L-830N, and is an alchemist warlock and collector of magical items. He is also one of the first Anthro-feralis field operatives to command a ULC chapter. He is the husband of Trisha Lang. He also is the de jure patriarch of the Lang Family, a civil rights activist, and novice potioneer. History Childhood Charlie Lang was born on March 10th, 1999 in San Francisco, California at San Francisco General Hospital. He grew up in a house in the suburbs of San Francisco. Lang's childhood was difficult. In 2006 he attended Ellsworth Elementary School. At the age of twelve, he experienced constant bullying from his Human peers, who derided him for being an Anthro-feralis and mocked his desire to become a wizard. Emily Lang, his mother, convinced him not to give into the pressure, and to continue pursuing his dream, repairing his broken toy wand. Throughout his childhood, he would often visit the candy store Frank's Corner Confectioneries and befriended the owner, who would often help him do homework and chat with him, and also encouraged his desire to be a mage as an adult. Hank Lang, his father, often had difficulty understanding or seeing eye-to-eye with his son, as his son bonded closer to his mother than him. In 2013, Lang was greatly affected by the passing of the 2013 Anti-Anthro Act, which he and his family members viewed as discriminatory. In 2015, Emily Lang died at San Francisco General Hospital due to complications from brain cancer on his 16th birthday. Charlie would be devastated by this incident, and have difficulty coping with it. He promised to make good on his promise to become a wizard, and kept many mementos of his mother, including a photograph of her at his workstation and setting his safe combination to the date of her death. Magical Studies In 2017, he began an education at San Francisco State University, and began a friendship with magic professor James Hendelsworth. Throughout the next three years, he would study intensively and became obsessed with reaching his goal of becoming a wizard, working on a major project known to few people, which was the construction of his own personal wand using the Areum that his mother had given him. When completed, he confided in Hendelsworth that he had constructed a wand illegally. Hendelsworth did not report him, and in fact encouraged his continued growth as a wizard. The two of them had private lessons, the first of which resulted in Charlie successfully being taught how to generate electricity and alter its frequency. Later lessons taught the manipulation of many other items and materials, as well as combat techniques. When he successfully stopped an accidental apartment fire sometime later in the year, Lang realized that he had an affinity for fire magic, being able to control it almost reflexively. Hendelsworth was impressed by this, and supported Lang's decision to apply to be an agent of the United Liberators Coalition later on. The two of them would keep in touch well after his graduation. In 2021 Lang graduated with a degree in Magical Studies with a specialization in Technomancy and Alchemy. He settled into his first apartment sometime shortly after, in Downtown San Francisco. Agent of the ULC In 2022, he was accepted into the United Liberators Operations Academy and underwent training as both a field agent and administrations officer. His roommate Tyler Cheng joined him, and initial friendly competition turned the two friends into bitter rivals. Due to no avaliable chapters needing field agents at the time, he was assigned to Administration, but personally believed that the assignment was out of prejudice, especially in light of the fact that several other agents were assigned afterwards. However a conversation with ULC Director Anthony Griffins in 2029 revealed that he had been not assigned because Griffins was highly satisfied with the quality of work that Lang did in administration and did not wish to lose him. Lang was skeptical regarding this explanation. He worked at the Phoenix Complex at an office desk job until 2029, when he was offered not only field agent status, but command of a chapter in Union Falls, Wyoming. He accepted, but was disappointed that his chapter was not very well equipped and was meant primarily as backup to the better armed and equipped Liberators-830A chapter in the city, which to seemingly add insult to injury, was commanded by Tyler Cheng, who also had exemplary service records. Lang felt that being assigned the lesser chapter was due to racism towards his status as an Anthro-feralis. Despite this, he agreed to relocated and packed up his apartment. Early 2029 In late January 2029, Lang gathered his team for orientation and assignment at the Phoenix Complex, his last time at his former workplace before heading off to Wyoming. He got along well with most members of the team with the exception of Alder Thornwick, both men seeming to quietly and mutually dislike each other. Tyler Cheng also seemed to mock him and his team's status as an auxiliary team, which resulted in friction between the two. They argued with each other and Director Griffins's office before being promptly ejected from it and told by the surly Director to get to work. Lang was dismayed when he found that his team was assigned an old C-20 Phoenix instead of a new ACS-2 Aquila and felt insulted by it. Nevertheless, he took it in stride and stated that if command was not going to look out for them, they would have to look out for each other. Throughout the next month, Lang led the team on missions and patrols throughout Union City's South Side, participating in numerous raids and skirmishes against its resident gangs and criminals. It was during this time he met Isaiah Brown and established a working relationship with the civilian journalist, though he kept a close eye on him due to concerns that he was a vigilante and even possibly an unregistered metahuman. In an incident in late February, Lang confronted a group of dark wizards terrorizing a farm in rural Wyoming, who were destroying property and torturing non-magicals who were living there. With the aid of the C-20 Phoenix and heavy equipment, the team was able to neutralize the threat but not before numerous people had been killed, and the leader committed suicide by activating a rune that Lang had overlooked. Lang was discouraged greatly by the Pyrrhic victory, and blamed himself for letting his 'desire to win' get the better of him. Throughout March, Lang continued to bond with his teammates, particularly Tanwyn Angharad and Camden Kolt, the latter of which he gifted his copy of Modern Materials Engineering. He formed a closer bond with Kolt, who he felt he had a lot in common with due to their similar backgrounds as both wizards and Anthros. He was particularly impressed by these two agents and their work, and began to form a friendship with them. His relationship with Norlar however became slightly strained after a rather severe outburst on the Elf's part, but was rectified when Norlar wrote a heartfelt apology letter, convincing Lang to let the incident go. He sent Brown and Roie Allius to the United Liberators Operations Academy, the former as part of his induction process into the Coalition, the latter because of his severe lacking in performance as an agent. Lang's birthday passed on March 15th, though he chose not to acknowledge it due to its association as the date of his mother's death, and preferred to focus on his duties instead. In late March, Lang and Camden Kolt were shot by UFPD Officer Jared Ballard while on patrol in Union Central, having been thought to be criminals who were responsible for a bank robbery that had occurred moments before. Both survived the shooting with gunshot wounds that were thankfully healed due to Lang's magical first aid capability and the timely arrival of Coalition paramedics, but both were also highly emotionally negatively affected by the incident, their trust with their UFPD allies taking a severe blow and straining the relationship between 830B and local law enforcement. Public response varied, with some supporting the officer's decision to fire based upon the fact that Kolt had reached for his wand, and others condemning the police department for the officer's failure to follow protocol and what was believed to be a racially motivated pulling of the trigger. In early April, Lang led members of the field team in neutralizing a Dark wizard in Missoula, Montana, due to Liberators-597's inability to respond due to dealing with an active hostile wizard in Bozeman at the time. The team successfully terminated the threat and brought order back to the courthouse, but were too late to save a judge and several police officers and a baliff, who had been turned into zombies using dark biomancy. Throughout the month, Lang and Cheng slowly began to reconcile, putting aside their grudges and working more closely together. In May, Lang and members of the field team stopped a CLAW terrorist attack that targeted a Union City Metro Line Monorail. He was able to save most of the hostages and prevent both portable fusion bombs involved in the crisis from detonating, saving the lives of both the passengers on the damaged train and preventing Kingdom Tower from collapsing. Some time after the incident, Lang forgave Cheng and the two of them became friends once again. Following the incident, Lang met with Cheng and exchanged confidential information regarding the reality that 830A was possibly compromised, as numerous security breaches that occurred within Atlantes Center, including the bugging of Cheng's Lexus. Lang and Cheng kept these discoveries under wraps but resolved to inform the Director of their findings, that the Coalition was possibly at risk . Camden Kolt, who Lang had a fondness for and one of the few agents Lang trusted, was also informed and his expertise utilized to attempt to carry out a digital forensic investigation into the matter. Korean War Later in the same month Lang traveled to The Bunker to pick up two new agents, Tobias Maki and Martin Rojas. He encountered and confronted Director Anthony Griffins about the security concerns, and once again the subject of internal agency politics reared its head. To Lang's surprise, Griffins offered Lang a promotion to captain of the chapter Liberators-981 in Seattle-Tacoma, telling him candidly that he was indeed a political man, and that they both had something to gain from it: Lang would enjoy a higher salary, better equipment and personnel of his preference and choosing, while the Director and the Coalition would have a poster boy Anthro 'fighting on the side of good', something that was sorely needed to combat the anti-Anthro sentiments rising in the aftermath of the Union City attack. Lang did not make a decision immediately, hesitating and telling the Director that he would need time to think about it. Mounting suspicions ULC CLAW War Return to San Francisco Taking command of 830N Early 2030 L-830 was a part of a national effort by the Coalition to round up and eliminate CLAW's holdout remmants in North America. Such a cell existed in Union Falls. Marriage to Trisha Honeymoon Cooperation with Liberators-152 Unrest in Union Falls Whitmore and Washington D.C. Europe and the Knights Illuminor Order of Morgana Personality Lang is hardworking and idealistic, and compassionate. He labored intensively in order to realize his childhood dream of becoming a wizard. Building his own wand, he demonstrated great resolve, patience and attention to detail, going as far as to get a barista job in order to spend his entire paychecks on high quality components for it, and not tolerating imperfections. He has had great ambitions, such as wanting to be a field agent for the ULC and a wizard, having watched the construction of the Phoenix Complex for years as it slowly went up and spending many nights gazing at it from across the bay. He is sensitive to the feelings of others and was timid in his youth, but became much more assertive in his later years. An example of this is how he confronted Director Griffins and did not allow pleasantries to get into the way of how he felt, bordering on insubordination, but remained calm and reasonable during the exchange. Lang enjoys electronic music, and Daft Punk are his favorite artists. Lang has an obsession with Green Apple Fizzle Gummy Pops, which he ate as a child at Frank's Corner Confectioneries, and often was rewarded with in class by Professor Hendelsworth. He regularly bought a bulk shipment of them for himself while in college and likely does currently. He can be seen at random times with one in his mouth. His pet name for his wife, Trisha, is 'gummypop'. Powers and Abilities Powers * Wizardry: 'Due to a combination of the power of his wand, traces of Areum within his Anthro-feralis biology and his extensive education and studies in the art of magic, Lang is a formidable and highly powerful wizard. ** 'Technomancy: 'Lang is skilled in combining magic with technology, and using magic to enhance electronics and his equipment. His motorcycle has been modified extensively to be reliant on Red Matter, meaning that only he or another wizard can operate it. ** 'Alchemy: '''Lang is a skilled alchemist, being able to demonstrate turning lithium into beryllium with barely any impurities or remaining fragments left over. He also is quite adept at transmuting materials. * '''Pyrokinetics: Lang is greatly skilled in the manipulation of fire, being able to create powerful jets and storms of flame from nothing. He is skilled to the point where he almost has absolute mastery over flame within his area of effect, and is able to make himself immune to the harmful effects of fire. * Enhanced stamina and biological processes: '''His nature as an Anthro-feralis grants him a degree of improved eyesight, reflexes, stamina and physical agility over humans. He has a keen sense of smell, and when deprived of his sidearm or wand he is able to use his sharp claws as a deadly weapon. ** '''Sharp claws: Lang possesses sharp claws. His template species, red pandas, normally only use them to climb trees and to gain traction in dirt, but there is potential for them to be used in combat. Lang is highly reluctant to do so, as he does not wish to look 'barbaric' and will actively avoid using them, but if no other weapons are available and he is forced to defend himself, they can be extremely destructive and cut deep. Abilities * Leadership and command skills: Though relatively new in the field, Lang is the commander of Liberators-830B. He received high marks at the United Liberators Operations Academy and Director Griffins had faith in his abilities, leading him to be assigned to Union City. * Master electrician: Lang built and completed the complex electronics within his wand himself, and later also modified his motorcycle to run off of magical energy. He is able to convert electrical equipment to run off of magic instead, and has an in-depth knowledge of how circuitry works. He also demonstrated the ability to manipulate electrical currents himself during his lessons with Hendelsworth. * Aptitude and rapid learning: '''Lang is shown to be highly adept at absorbing and retaining information, and quickly grasping new skills. He earned extremely high marks during his university education and was one of the top workers in Administration from 2022 to 2029 at the Phoenix Complex, according to Director Griffins. Equipment * '''2018 Honda CB1000R: This retro-styled motorcycle formerly belonged to his father and is Lang's primary means of civilian transportation. He has modified it to run off of magical energy, rendering himself and other wizards the only people who are able to ride it. * Wand: 'Built by himself, Lang's unique custom channeling device is a wand that is 15" long and made of a Areum-enhanced titanium alloy. It has an ergonomic grip and has a computerized control system for its unusually massive Rm chamber, and features visible ports through which its red light glows. Due to the size and near perfect purity of its core, it is extremely powerful compared to most wands. * 'RM-M4NA Magitek Battle Rifle: * Civil War Wand: * Dragonhide Glove: * Thunderbuss: * Beretta M9A3 sidearm: 'Lang's semi-automatic sidearm weapon of choice in addition to his wand is this chemically propelled weapon that is modified to be magically enhanced. Lang has grown somewhat attached to it as it was his chosen weapon during his tenure at the Phoenix Complex, and has refused to switch to the standard sidearm for field agents. * 'RM-L4NC3: Designed by Camden Kolt, this weapon is a magically-modified pistol designed to fire a cable out of its barrel that is a magically-compressed bullet capable of expanding to great lengths. He first used it during a confrontation with dark wizards when he was deprived of his primary weapons, killing their ringleader. * 'Hoodie: '''Lang wears a custom black hoodie with a glowing white interior and metal strips that magnetically snap together, instead of a zipper. It only glows when he places it on himself. Relationships Family * Lang family ** Trisha Lang (wife) ** Emily Lang † (mother) ** Hank Lang (father) ** Samuel Lang† (grandfather) ** Nicholas Lang (estranged cousin) ** Heidi Lang (aunt) ** Milo Lang (cousin) * Allie Davis (mother in law) * Rusty Davis (father in law) Allies * United Liberators Coalition ** Unified Command *** Anthony Griffins (superior) *** Tyler Cheng (close friend and Northeastern Regional Overseer) *** Robinson (superior, Northwest Regional Overseer) ** Task Force Andrew *** Caoimhe *** Gareth Greymoor ** Liberators-830N *** Alder Thornwick *** Askel *** Peter Prilv *** Caitlyn Fell *** Camden Kolt (close friend) *** Caroline Leyte *** Conwell North (tolerating only) *** Helena Wolfe *** Kaitiaki *** Kurt Ackerman *** Marcus Tristan *** Tanwyn Angharad (second in command and close friend) *** Tobias Maki *** Isaiah Brown *** Ivan Pashenka ** Liberators-830B (before dissolution) *** Roie Allius† *** Martin Rojas† ** Liberators-830A (before dissolution) *** Miles Eklan ** Liberators-597 ** Liberators-152 *** Rick Barlowe (captain) ** Liberators-981 * Union Falls Police Department ** Siegfried Peters * United States Armed Forces ** Brian Thomas * Atlas Advanced Technologies ** Jack Harper * Whitaker family ** Frank Whitaker † ** Daniel Whitaker * Davis family * San Francisco State University ** James Hendelsworth (Dean of Arlin School of magic, former professor and mentor) * [[SS Liberty |SS ''Liberty crew]] ** Arlon ** Vihaan Balan (captain) Individuals * Ernst Schmidt-Krieger * Norlar * Katyusha * Louis Donaldson * Ian Iaego * Spark (pet phoenix) Enemies * Skull Crushers gang * Neo Los Sureños ** Julios Banderas * CLAW ** Lucicus Mallory ** Nathan Breyer† ** Jay Allenson† ** Balanguurk ** Anthony Markis (victim) * Dark wizards * Georgian Technical Institute ** Rodrick Foreman * Order of Morgana ** Father (cult leader) ** Morganan Acolytes ** Necromorphs ** The Swarm Individuals * Caeden Lymar (traitor to the ULC) * Kozan Greymoul * Recardo Prilv (millionaire and father of Peter Prilv) Category:Anthro-feralis Category:Wizards Category:Liberators